Travelling across time and terrains

In the very first documentary films by Ansis Epners, “Alive” and “Night Flight,” the director’s unique expressiveness in documentary reality and editing is evident. Epners’ colorful range of interests also extended to various art forms – he regularly collaborated on the creation of the film journal “Art.” With the film “Lielvārde Belt,” a new stage began in his career: an interest in ancient symbols and signs. This film became particularly significant during the 1980s, at the time of Latvia’s national awakening. “Latvia – My Home” is a prime example of performativity, an important aspect of Epners’ work: a film about Latvia intended for a foreign audience becomes an emotional journey of the filming crew traveling by horse-drawn carriage.

Alive

Dzīvs

The history teacher returns to the scene with his students and reenacts what happened in 1941, when he was the only one of the 178 people sentenced to be shot who managed to escape and stay alive.

Night flight

Lidojums naktī

The story of the daily work of medical aviation doctors, who fly between different events and save lives.

Art, N. 4

Māksla, N.4

A newsreel edition about sculpture features Lithuanian sculptor Gediminas Jakubonis, who participates in the “Rīga-72” exhibition.

The Belt of Lielvārde

Lielvārdes josta

The film explores and attempts to decipher the complex ornaments encoded in the traditional folk costume accessory, Lielvārde’s belt, drawing parallels with ancient cultures in Japan, China, Egypt, and elsewhere.

Latvia – My Home

Latvija – manas mājas

Intended for foreign viewers, the film explores Latvia’s history and present day, national traditions, culture, and nature, with the filmmakers traveling in a horse-drawn carriage.